Cursed by Fire
The Immortal Brothers
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4.8 • 10 Ratings
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- $7.99
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- $7.99
Publisher Description
From New York Times bestselling author Jacquelyn Frank comes the scorching hot first book in a thrilling new series featuring four warrior brothers who have the power—and the curse—of immortality.
For centuries, Dethan has been trapped in a fiery inferno for defying the gods and snatching the power of immortality. Condemned to have his battle-hardened body licked by flames only to regenerate and be consumed all over again, Dethan has lost all hope—until the Goddess of Conflict appears. She will release him from torment—if he’ll use his power and strength as a warrior to raise an army and defeat a fierce enemy faction of gods.
Free to live as a man once again, Dethan meets Selinda—heir to the throne of Hexis—and his thoughts quickly turn from the conquest of cities to the conquest of this headstrong beauty. Betrothed to a cruel, calculating powermonger, Selinda needs a champion, and so Dethan enters into another bargain: If she will share her bed—and her body—with him, Dethan will save her city from destructive forces within and without. As the lovers ignite a searing passion, Dethan will risk all—even the wrath of the Goddess of Conflict—for a chance to make Selinda his forever.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Frank (the Nightwalkers books) launches the Immortal Brothers series with this serviceable but eventually wearying paranormal, set on a vaguely described parallel Earth. Warrior Dethan never suspected what consequences might befall him and his brothers when they discovered the fountain that gave them eternal life. They will live forever, and suffer forever. Dethan is chained in a cavern, condemned to have his body continually consumed by fire. When his mighty skills are needed by Weysa, the goddess of conflict, she limits his agonies: he will still burn up, but only once a day for a few hours at a time, until he completes his assignment. Once freed, he encounters the seductive Selinda, who is betrothed to an abuser and whose city is under siege. Of course he must come to her rescue over and over. The worldbuilding holds interest, but the familiar and repetitive plot relinquishes it.
Customer Reviews
An immortal warlord and the abused, disfigured “princess”. What’s not to love?
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
*Complimentary ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley for the purpose of an honest review.
I love the Nightwalker series and Drink of Me by Ms. Frank, so I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to request this title since the blurb caught my attention, and it was the first in a new series. It took a few chapters to get into the story, but I’m glad I stuck with it. Because of the hero.
Firstly, I can't remember a villain I've loathed more than Grannish!
What's not to love about a fierce warrior forced to endure sheer torture night after night, offered the chance at redemption, and who finds something he never knew he wanted or needed? So many things about Dethan surprised me. He was bluntly honest with Selinda at all times. It was refreshing and quite endearing. As a virgin heiress to the throne, she already had little trust in the people around her, and that honesty helped her open up to Dethan, and it kept them on equal footing. Neither she nor I had to wonder where she stood. I especially loved him during the stolen moments in private with Selinda. The initial attraction was swift and thorough, however everything he'd endured during his punishment had left him almost unable to feel or recognize arousal, lust, or even love. He was honorable towards her but wasn't adverse to coaxing her out of her shell or other things. The other thing I loved about him was his handling of Grannish and seeing his past experiences as a warlord aid him with this new foe.
Selinda was feisty and spoke her mind whenever she could. That was in part due to her station but also her only means of venting her frustration and angst. I liked that she could stand up for herself if necessary, however most of the time it was fruitless because of her achilles heel, her father and youngest brother. She wavered a lot between bouts of bravery and absolute foolishness that I didn't really understand why she kept provoking her vile fiancé only for him to threaten her and she'd cower again and again. She was more than she seemed, although we never found out how that came to be, exactly.
The romance was a very slow burn - quiet words and promises, a gentle but heated touches and stolen kisses. They didn't come together until the 70% mark, but it was well worth the wait. The romance certainly wasn't the main focus, but it felt believable that they waited as long as they did. Dethan never made grand gestures or proclamations of love for he felt that he couldn't. He felt he had no choice but to be loyal to his goddess. It may have made him seem unfeeling, but I understood his reasons even if he felt torn. The ending wasn't what I had been expecting, but it was perfect for them.